Dog Days Are Over
by StarGazingAtMidnight
Summary: So much for peace. The War has begun once more, the Elites are as furious as ever, and the past has already started to repeat itself. Our humans and aliens are just trying to keep each other safe, but can you really change what has already happened for thousands of lives? Time has already began to run out. Sequel to The Wretched And Divine, Second in the At War For Peace series.
1. End Of All Days

The noise was getting louder.

Orion sat up slowly, twisting to look over at the shut door of the bedroom. Quickfire stirred in annoyance, still exhausted from the nightmare that had sent her running into Orion's arms with a sob, and the hours she had sat up crying for her daddy.

The scratching persisted, followed by a high-pitched whimper.

Carefully, the Prime slipped out of the bed and crossed the room warily, opening the door slowly and sighing when he saw what was on the other side. He knelt down, smiling softly with tired eyes.  
"Hey boy," He murmured to Storm, scratching the golden lab behind his ear, "Haven't seen you in a while."  
The dog whimpered again, pressing his nose into the inside of Orion's wrist and whined when there was no trace of lemon to balance out the strawberry. He twisted past the holo, sniffing the blue shirt folded neatly on the chair beside the wardrobe and whimpering when the shirt carried no trace of his owner. Orion exhaled forcibly through his nose and slipped back into bed, dropping his hand down to pet Storm soothingly when he curled up at the side of the bed.

"I know, boy. I miss him too."

* * *

Rain lightly misted against the Californian dorm room's window, unseen due to the inky darkness of outside. A sudden cold breeze snaked through the open window, making the student checking his work shiver and tip his chair back to close it. Leaning over, he flipped the switch which made the smaller lamps perched on desks and the tops of wardrobes turn on at once-their ceiling lighting was horrific- bathing the room in soft yellow light. He stretched, cracking his elbows and fingers as he did so before going back to his work.

Mere minutes later, the door flew open and hit his roommate's bed so hard in slammed shut in his face, prompting a snort from the man by the window. The man outside let out a muffled curse before opening the door slightly easier, then practically flew across the room.

"Come on, man! Go get changed!"  
"I told you I wasn't going, Leo"

"Come on, man! Hot chikas and bros!" Leo tried to persuade his roommate, bouncing excitedly and running his fingers through his curly hair. The red-head looked up from his laptop, eyebrows practically at his hairline. He propped one elbow on the table and dropped his chin into his palm, the bold designs of red, blue and green which twisted up his arms automatically catching Leo's eye.

Sam's mouth twisted up at the side even as he shook his head. "Man, I've got way too much-"  
"Dude, you're a fucking TA and you've completed practically _everything_ in our course! You could graduate next month _despite it only being November_. I'm sure you're fine."  
"Leo-"  
"Come on, man! You've been here two months-"  
"-I've been here from June."  
"...That doesn't count; you were studying with the professor all summer to feed you're freaky genius IQ and do a four year course in like half a year. There wasn't people around! It's been two months and you have _never_ even looked at anyone! You've got that whole 'smart badass with a motorbike' thing for the chicks and that 'Delicate bambi-eyed twinky' shit for the dudes-"  
"_Delicate bambi-eyed twinky?!"  
_Leo rolled on, ignoring Sam's incredulous yelp, "and turned down _all_ of them! Dude, there was guys _I'd_ bend over for!"  
_"_Whoa man, I did not need that mental image-"  
"And yet every time you just 'Sorry, not interested, I'm in a relationship'! _Come on_, man! You're in collage! You're meant to do the whole drink, drugs, and sex thing!"  
Sam tipped his head back and laughed, the yellow glow of the lamps illuminating the pale scars on his neck. "Man, been there, done that. I am never touching that stuff again, and as for sex?" He exhaled a laugh, lips curling up into a knowing smile as he bit down on his bottom lip and slowly released it, leaving it full and red, "Man, I'm just gonna end up disappointed, compared to what I'm used to."

Leo made a face, batting at the air between the two as if to push away the conversation. "Ew dude, TMI. Anyway, come _on_" He dragged out the word into a whine, until Sam threw his hands up with a huff.

"Alright Alright! _Ares_ give me strength."

His fingers darted across the keyboard before he clicked the laptop shut. He rose rapidly, grabbing a handful of clothes and disappeared into the bathroom, before reappearing in jeans and a black button-up shirt with the sleeves rolled up, displaying the delicate designs crawling up his arms. Before leaving, he knelt down before the small alter wedged between his bed and the window and whispered a soft prayer, before extinguishing the two candles that stood there with his finger and thumb. Stepping around the dumbstruck Leo (who was staring incredulously at Sam, who _never_ changed his mind), he opened the door and raised an eyebrow at Leo. "C'mon then, let's go check out this rave."

* * *

_"I can't just __**leave**__!" Sam turned back to the sink and went to ball up the acceptance letter, only for Orion to dart flush with his back and pluck it out of hands._

_"Darlin', you __**have **__to go! This...this is an __**amazing **__opportunity!" Orion scanned the letter again, co-signed by the president. "You'd only be gone for six months, and if you have to cut it short for some emergency-" Sam knocked the chopping board twice, waving away the mystified look he knew was on Orion's face without turning around, "-you can finish you last month here. And it would mean..." he trailed off, before softening his voice and placing a hand on Sam's shoulder, "It would mean you wouldn't be here when Galloway is."_

_Sam first tensed under the hand, then twisted to curl into Orion's chest and lock his arms around him, relaxing slightly when the holo immediately wrapped his arms around him and rested his cheek on the top of his head, eyes like flint._

_Too many times had he woke to Sam begging Galloway to stop and listen to him, and too many times over the last few days did Sam's momentarily terrified face flash before his eyes when they were told who would be their liaison for the next six months. _

_"But the Rebels-"he protested into Orion's chest, voice muffled even as he deflated slightly. _

_"-Miles is more than capable of taking control for a few months." _

_"Soundwave-"_

_"Mass forces won't reach Earth until next year at the very earliest...we're talking about ten cons in the next few months at the very most."_

_"Quickfire."_

_Orion sighed, tightening his hold on Sam for a moment. "You can still read her a story every night, and you'll be able to come home for a few days every month. I know it'll be hard Darlin'...but you have to do this. You deserve to have at least a few months of being a normal college student, after everything you've done."_

_"Orion-"_

_"Don't dare argue with me on that, I have the backing of half a race, a few dozen humans and a life-giving power."_

_Sam pulled back slightly, biting on his bottom lip. "And if I go...will..." he wouldn't meet Orion's eyes, and when the mech gently tilted his chin up, his spark __**ached**__ at the vulnerability in his eyes. "Will you still be here for me?"_

_He was going to hunt down every single person who had ever turned away from his Promised and make them regret ever putting that lost look in his eyes._

_Gently, he leant down and kissed the human slowly and softly-nothing more than to provide reassurance and show his love.  
"I have waited thousands of vorns for you, Darlin'. A few months will be naught but sparkling's play." _

* * *

"You were always so nice, Sam!" Stacey slurred, propping herself up by leaning against him. "Kaela talked about you all the time!"  
"Uh huh." Sam choked down a laugh, patting her on the head. "Stacey, I think you've had enough tonight. Maybe you should head home?"

"YEAH I SHOULD TOTALLY DO THAT!" The girl squealed, swishing her neon purple hair around in excitement.

Shaking his head, Sam motioned one of the girls Stacey had arrived with over, frowning when the girl simply told him to take her home himself and shut the lights off when he left. After debating for a few seconds, the red-head pulled the stumbling girl's arm over his shoulder and shook his head.  
"Nah, I was at school with her and I can't just leave her. I'll let her stay in my room tonight, rather than her be by herself."  
The girl shrugged, turning away with a careless "Whatever", completely missing Sam's outraged look that she would let her 'friend' vanish with a random guy who she'd never met before, when Stacey was clearly in no shape to be by herself.  
Muttering under his breath, he grabbed Leo by the arm, making the curly haired student jolt and narrowly avoid throwing the drink at him.  
"Man, I'm taking Stacey to ours to sleep this off...try not to stumble in at three AM singing Christmas carols again."  
"Duuuuude!" The tips of Leo's ear burned, "That was one time!"  
"I LOVE CHRISTMAS CAROLS!"

Carefully, Sam led her outside, shrugging his jacket off and giving it to her when she started to shiver. They had only got a couple of feet outside the club when someone called his name, causing him to huff under his breath and turn with a forced calm expression.  
"Yes?"  
The student that called him rocked back on his heels, grinning at Sam from under a blond fringe. He carefully licked his lips, dragging his eyes up and down the teen's wiry body. "Hey, I'm Steven. I'm in your Astrophysics and Gov classes. I was wondering if maybe you could tutor me in some things? Maybe we could go-"  
At that moment Stacey moaned and Sam just had enough time to get her over to the gutter and crouch down before she threw up, shivering. He murmured soothingly to her, holding her hair back and rubbing her back until she groaned and leant against him, snuggling into his warmth.  
"So can we?"  
"What?" Sam glanced back at him, shaking his head and rubbing Stacey's arm when she started throwing up again. "Yeah, sure, whatever man." He muttered distractedly, attention on the girl in his arms. "Look man, I'm kinda busy, I'll talk to you tomorrow."  
He gently lifted Stacey up and helped guide her onto his back in a piggy-back, where she locked her arms and legs around him and buried her face in his neck with a tired sob. He murmured softly to her, distractedly throwing a hand up at Steven as he darted across the road and made his way to his dorm.

As Steven watched him go, he ran his tongue over his teeth and smirked, "Well...Prime seems to have chosen someone with as big a bleeding spark as his own."  
He blinked slowly, brown irises melting into blood red.

* * *

Stacey jerked up and practically threw herself over the side of the bed, retching into the dish left there. Sam winced sympathetically from his desk, smiling softly at Stacey when she met his eyes.

"Sam? What...what time is it?"  
"It's about four AM, Stacey."  
She blinked, purple hair sticking in all directions. "Why am I here?"  
"I didn't want to risk you chocking in the middle of the night, and there was no-one else to look after you."  
She blinked at him, swallowing some of the water he had left for her. "...Thanks."  
"Don't worry about it." He cut her argument off with a wave of his hand. "Seriously, Stacey. Get some sleep."  
She nodded slowly, and then curled up again, facing the wall with a sleepy sigh. Sam shook his head, jerking when his PADD gave a soft chime.

He shot up, grabbing it and ducking into Leo's 'office', locking the door behind him. He accepted the call, sighing in relief when Orion's tired, but mostly uninjured holo smiled back at him.  
"Hey Darlin'"  
"Hey. How was Beijing?"  
"Alright." Orion scuffed a hand over his face, grimacing when his hand pulled on a few cuts. "Got everything contained pretty quickly."  
"...What else happened?" Sam didn't miss the tension in Orion's shoulders nor the heaviness in his eyes. The mech blinked tiredly back at him, exhaling through his exhaustion.  
"I'll tell you tomorrow."  
"Okay, I'll see you-_tomorrow?_ What do you mean, tomorrow?"  
Orion looked back at him, before dropping his head into his hands and shaking his head. Panic twisted Sam stomach, even as he forced himself to stay calm  
"Orion, what happened? Orion? Sweetheart, you're scaring me here."  
"I know, I'm-I'm sorry." The holo ran his fingers through his hair, taking a calming breath before he looked up at Sam again, clasping his hands together tightly.  
"We had a break-in last night."  
"_What?!_" Sam snapped upright, hands shaking, "Who was it?! Is everyone okay?! What-"  
"Sam! Darlin, not here. The break-in wasn't here."  
"Gods, Orion! Don't scare me like-Wait...where was broken into?"  
Orion looked back at him for a long moment before swallowing. "The safe."  
"The safe? What safe-"

* * *

"_Will, what are they going to do with the Shard?"  
_"_It's being hidden in one of the safest naval bases in the world, under an electromagnetic field which should keep any of __**them**__ from getting to it"  
"How are they going to hide that?"  
"I'm not sure, something about filing it in the paperwork as being in a 'safe' of some sort?" _

* * *

"Oh gods."  
"Yeah." Orion scrubbed a hand over his face, sighing in exhaustion. "We're going to collect you about two o'clock tomorrow-"  
"Orion, I can just get a plane-"  
"**_NO!_**"  
Sam jumped, taken back by the outrage in Orion's voice. The holo swore, dragging his shaking fingers through his hair again. "Sorry Darlin', I didn't...it's too dangerous. You'd be far too out in the open and..."  
"Hey, Orion." Sam smiled softly at him, waiting until he slumped back before continuing, "Okay. I'll see you tomorrow, alright?"  
The holo looked back at him, relief clear in his eyes as he nodded. Sam smiled again, waiting until Orion managed to smile back before he reached out to touch the screen. Automatically Orion copied, pressing their fingertips together.  
"I love you, and everything's going to be okay. It'll work out."  
Orion smiled again, huffing out a soft laugh. "Love you too, Darlin', and-" his eyes snapped to somewhere behind Sam's head and he snapped up, face smoothing out.  
"-_Director Galloway!"_  
Both screens vanished as Orion slammed the laptop shut and Sam flipped the cover over the PADD.

The smile dropped, and he took a shaking breath to try and calm the terror that was rising in his throat. He stared at the covered PADD for a few moments, then took an unsteady breath and set the PADD to the side and quickly rose. He avoided the tables in the 'office' as if he was in a daze, unlocking the door and ghosting over to the wardrobe. Robotically, he pulled it open, grabbed the suitcase from the top shelf and began packing.

* * *

Sam softly shut the door behind Stacey, having waved her embarrassed apologies aside with a smile. Leo slapped his shoulder as he got up from his desk, muttering something about 'girls being wasted' on him.

The student brushed it off with a laugh, picking some books off the table and sliding them into the almost-full suitcase, which had been explained by a blunt 'family emergency'.  
Sam's tight smile had silenced any questions.

Still laughing, he pulled a brown zip-up out of the wardrobe, and almost had it in his bag before he registered what it was. The laugh died in his throat as he turned it over in his hands, fingers lightly grazing the material.

Leo snorted from behind him, shaking his head as he stumbled into the bathroom. "Dude, don't even donate that-That thing deserves to be burned!"  
"Hey!" Sam shouted back, turning the jacket in question over in his hands absentmindedly, "I bled in this thing!" He dropped his voice, still gazing at the jacket in confusion, "I haven't seen this thing since...I don't even remember packing it-"

Out of the sleeve, something small slipped.

He had just enough time to recognise the silver sheen and symbols scrawled across the side, just enough time to know he _had to catch it_, and just enough time to reach out-

The moment the splinter touched his skin, agony exploded in his fingers and blazed up his arm, ravaging through his body in a heartbeat. He bit down on his other wrist to stop his screams from slipping out as the white-hot splinter which burned blue melted into his palm. The symbols hidden by his new tattoos blazed to life, matching the colour of his burning irises.

Barely a few seconds had past, when the images slammed into him. Worlds and wars and energon and blood and fire and ice and a thousand things in-between swirled into a sickening blur of agony. The sound hit next: Voices who screamed and pleaded and roared, crashes and clashes and cracking of flames which swirled into deafening _noise_.

He gripped his hair with his burning hand, ignoring the taste of copper in his mouth as he trembled, frozen in one spot. The pain skyrocketed to a point where he could not scream even if he wanted to when, suddenly, it vanished.  
He crumpled, curling up and trembling as the aftershocks slammed into place, razing through him from head to toe.

He stayed like that, curled up like a child until the pain blissfully ebbed and the pressure of someone's hand on his shoulder grew. The noise that had sounded like a badly tuned radio eventually focused enough to become a calming male voice.  
"-there we go, Sam. Take another breath for me. That's it, you're doing great man. One more breath...there you go..."

Still trembling, he allowed himself to be guided into a sitting position, back against the blessedly cool mirror of the wardrobe. He stared blankly, barely noticing that the other teen had left, only to reappear with a first aid box. Like Sam was a spooked animal, Leo slowly pulled the bleeding wrist away from where it was tucked against the chest and gently dashed some antiseptic on it, frowning to himself when Sam didn't so much as flinch at the sting of alcohol.  
"You okay, bro?" He made certain to keep his voice low and even as he wrapped the bandage around the wrist.  
"Panic attack" the red-head gasped out, forcing his breath back under control and ignoring the warmth blossoming at the back of his head, "Fine now, just need to wash my mouth out."

"Okay, man." Leo backed off slowly, letting Sam stumble to his feet and into the bathroom.

He gripped the sink for support, spitting into it and grimacing at the splatter of scarlet. With shaking hands he yanked the mouthwash off the shelf and ended up using half a bottle, not pausing until all he could taste was spearmint, and desperately pushing back at the heat which was increasing in his cheat. He gazed down at the sink for a moment before slowly lifting his hand to stare at the mark on it. It no longer was an angry weeping wound. Now, it looked like someone had drawn the sliver in henna on his palm-a thin black outline with the symbols that decorated it seemingly painstakingly painted on. He poked it carefully; surprised at how unsurprised he was when there was no pain.

He took a slow breath then lifted his head to look into the mirror. He took one more steadying breath and _pulled_ at the heat in his head and chest and held it for a breath, and then pushed it away once more with an exhale.

His eyes flashed blue in sync.

* * *

SO MUCH WORK AT A-LEVEL

HERE IS YOUR NEW STORY AND WE ARE RIGHT BANG INTO THE ROTF ARC SO YEY

GIVE ME SONGS TO LISTEN TO/ THINGS YOU WANT TO SEE IN THIS FIC/ UPDATES ON HOW YOU LOT ARE DOING IN THE REVIEWS PLEASE!

HOLY SHIT I'VE MISSED YOU GUYS SO MUCH *HUGS ALL OF YOU*

ALSO I GOT TWITTER SO COME TALK TO ME GUYS!  
starscatterer


	2. It Was Like A Time Bomb Set Into Motion

"Man, I really don't think you should be here..." Leo whispered, eyes flicking from the blackboard to Sam, who was taking notes with one hand and discreetly massaging his temples with his other.  
"I'm fine, Leo" He hissed, closing his eyes for a second as the ache between his eyes grew, like the ache you get when you wear someone else's too-strong glasses. He slumped in a manner that would have had Simmons slap him across the back of his head and bark, _'__**Posture**__, _Witwicky! You have the blood of kings and saviours, and neither slouched!'  
He glanced up at the blackboard, freezing when one of the 'Σ' symbols on the board morphed into a glyph-

"_LeaderPrimeKingMessiahSaviourRuler"_ the voices whispered, and images of purple and red and blue and gold flashed through his mind like a brilliant firework. He blinked, and the glyph was gone, along with the voices.

Shaking his head, he looked over at Leo to whisper something, only to frown at the sight the other student looking down at Sam's page with wide, confused eyes. Swallowing, he dropped his eyes, heart clenching when he saw his hand race across his page at frantic pace, symbols streaming from the pen nib in a river of ink. His hand had a mind of its own, speeding up to layer symbols over symbols, despite Sam's attempts to still it.  
The burn between in his eyes grew, billowing so fast he had to shut his eyes against the agony, even as the noise that had faded from the earlier morning started to build. He flinched when he felt Leo grab his arm, and in fury had to blink away the sheen of tears that had built against his will as the voices started to scream.  
_"Letmeoutletmeout  
ohprimusnononon  
stopstopstop  
I'msorryI'msorry  
I'msososorry"_

* * *

Professor Robinson shook his head as he stared down at Witwicky, worry pinching the corner of his eyes. The student looked like death warmed over, flinching from the sound of Spitz slamming their books shut and throwing them into a bag. He put his hand on Witwicky's shoulder and bent down slightly to put himself at eye level with him.

"Witwicky, Spitz is going to take you back to your room and get the nurse, okay?"  
Witwicky shook his head, wincing as the movement caused the pain from what had to be a migraine flared.  
"I'm, fine, sir. Just let me-"  
"No, Witwicky. Sleep it off, go home and you'll get caught up in a week or two. You're ahead of schedule; a week with your family won't kill you."  
Though he did not look at all appeased with the arrangement, nether the less, he let Spitz steady him as he got up and guide him out of the classroom, leaning heavily on the other student.

* * *

Mikaela's nails were almost stumps, her knee jittering up and down as buildings flew past her window. She startled when she felt Miles grab her hand, bringing it down from her mouth and giving it a quick squeeze while he pulled a sharp U-turn which she was pretty damn sure was illegal. He had barely spoken from this morning, from the moment when Orion had stormed out of a meeting and threw a pair of keys at him, trembling with rage and biting through his teeth, "_Get to him."_

The Bots and Rangers were not allowed to leave base until the situation had been cleared up, until the fat cats felt safe in there pretty bunkers and were sure that they weren't going to run off and join the other side.

By the time that had happened, Sam's collage would have been nothing but a hole in the ground and her brother wouldn't have stood a chance.

* * *

Orion tightened his fingers on his steering wheel and shut his eyes, processor flashing back to the moment he thought the bond which was closed for good had surged back to life.

Arial had stumbled into him, letting out a choked sob that matched his own.

Half joyful, half devastated as the imprint they thought had been put to rest had awoken to haunt them once more.

It was moments like that where he envied the others. Dijon had roared out a curse and hurled his coffee mug at the wall. Jazz's fist had punched a hole in the plaster and Barricade had kicked the coffee table so hard it flipped, glass top shattering and spilling across the floor like broken diamonds.

He wished he could hate the fact Megatron was alive. He wished he could rage and storm and let his fury burn through him as he cursed the mech.

But, Primus help him, the youngling inside him was all but weeping with joy that his brother was alive.

"Orion?" Mikaela's voice drifted through the commlink connecting the Bots and startled the Prime out of his daze, "Sam's calling me."  
"Put him on."

He heard her make a noise of confirmation, and a click echoed through the link to confirm the phone had been connected to the commlink, allowing the Bots to also hear what was being said.

"Hey Sammy, we're coming to get you now. Me and Miles will meet you then meet up with-"  
"I take it this is Mikaela, Sam's sister?"

Orion's head snapped to the radio as a male voice answered, a voice that defiantly wasn't Sam.

"…Who is this? Why do you have my brother's phone?"  
"I'm Leo, his roommate? Sam asked me to ring you."

Dread uncurled in Orion's stomach, even as Mikaela spoke over the other student's rambles of it being Sam's idea with a sharp- "Why are you ringing me, and not my brother?"  
"See...Well, Mikaela, Sam…he's sick."  
"…Sick?"  
"Yeah, he had a panic attack this morning," Orion had to jerk himself into the correct lane, "And then he had a really bad migraine and now...Well...He's drawing like crazy and..." The student gave a high-pitched giggle, a touch of panic bleeding through,"Does your brother normally…you know…draw really freaky symbols over and over again?"

"_WHAT?!" _Orion roared, cursing as he had to jerk back into the correct lane again, not looking away from the radio.

"Put him on." Mikaela's voice was like ice. There was a rustling noise, a mumble of Sam's name, of Mikaela's name then-

"Kaela?"Orion slammed down the accelerator, knuckles whitening against the steering wheel as Sam's voice filtered through, broken and pained and _Primus he had to get there._

"Sammy, what happened?" She hid her worry well, Prime noted distractedly, as Mikaela's voice flowed like honey with only the slightest tremor.  
"I caught it Kaela, I had to catch it I _had to_. It was in my jacket-I don't even remember packing the jacket. Why would I pack the jacket, I haven't worn it since.-It was still _stained_ Kaela, it was covered in soot and energon and _I didn't pack it_." He was babbling, words tripping over themselves in a flurry to get out. "A piece, a piece must of broke off and it fell and I caught it and gods it _burned_ and now I'm going insane and the symbols are everywhere and I have to find the _LeadersPrimesKingsMessiahsSavioursRulers _and I keep seeing it and hearing it and _they won't stop I can't make them stop-" _he broke off with a sob, before pushing through it "Over and over and over again I can't not see it Kaela. Gods there was so much energon and they won't stop_ screaming."_

He could hear his spark pulse in his ears as his fingers went numb. Sam was seeing the war. He was seeing it over and over and over and he had to swallow the bile that burned in his throat.

_"They_ _were_ _so __**young!**_ They didn't deserve this Kaela they didn't they_ didn't_ and they just want peace Kaela and it's not _fair_ and then they keep screaming at me and screaming and begging but I don't know how to help them Kaela gods I don't know-!"  
"Sammy, Sammy honey, you need to breathe-"  
"-And then in class, Kaela, it just _hit _me, you know? Energy does equal mass times the velocity of light squared in this dimension, but what about the other 17? Kaela, no-on even talks about the other 17. Clear example: Break down the elemental components of Energon, assume a constant decay rate and extrapolate for each of the fourteen galactic convergences it took the Sentinel Prime expedition to receive an echo on its signal, you wind up with a formula for inter-dimensional energy increase that mass and light alone can't possibly explain and _I think I'm going insane."_

_"_Prowl, I am going to have to ask you to break the law." Had anyone else been listening in, they would have though the Prime was joking with his light, airy tone. But the mechs who were along side of him shivered at the rage bleeding through. Prowl's sirens snapped on and Orion tore after him, praying to Primus that he would get there before the Allspark burned his Chosen from the inside out.

* * *

Leo pressed a damp cloth against the other student's forehead, wincing at the temperature. Sam perched at the edge of his bed, stared blankly in front of him, lips mouthing indecipherably and tracks of salt water etched on his face.

The other student crouched down in front of him, tapping his cheek. "Sam?"  
The student blinked slowly, his eyes focusing slightly on Leo's worried face. "Hey man, your brother and sister are going to be here in like five minutes, okay? Are you sure you don't want me to get the nurse-?"  
"No." It came out as a rasp, scratching like the sound someone makes after screaming for too long. "No, thank-you."  
"Okay man, I-" He sighed in relief when someone knocked on the door, frowning when Sam yanked him back, fingers whitening around his bicep. "Dude, it's just you sister and-"  
"No." He shook his head, face drained and fingers trembling. "Don't open the door"  
Leo shook his head, shaking his head as the light hit Sam's eyes and gave the impression they were glowing blue. "Dude, I'm just-"  
"Don't open the door, Leo. I can't- I'm too _weak._" He spat the word as if it was venom, fingers shaking so much that when he went to grab something from behind his back; it slipped through them and clattered to the floor. He cursed and grabbed it, hands shaking so much the gold dagger sliced his palm open.  
"Shit! What the hell, Sam-?!" Leo cursed again when the door was knocked again, urgently and impatiently. Against his better judgement, he strode across the room-ignoring Sam's plea- and threw the door open.

The student at the other side of the door leaned against the doorframe, a slow smirk lazily sneaking across his face and a toy car under his arm.  
"Is Sam in? I'm Steven."  
"Sam's sick; sorry dude." Leo went to close the door, only to be thrown against the wall when the blonde pushed against the door so hard it flew open. He smashed into the cupboards where they kept their dry food, blinking groggily up at the blonde. Steven spat out a laugh and closed the door behind him, before setting down the car who transformed instantly into a tiny robot who blinked up at him.  
"Find the shard"  
The robot immediately began tearing the room apart, while Steven slid his hand into his waistband to pull out gleaming silver pistol-

Leo didn't even realise the dagger had been thrown; but he saw it sink into Steven's shoulder. He also saw it fly out again, and the copious amount of _blue_ pouring from his shoulder...

Steven let out a screech like static, eyes bleeding red, metal pushing out from the center of his forehead and pushing the skin away-

Leo's breaths came in short, panicked pants as the Terminator stared back at him before slowly turning to stare at Sam. The teen was propping himself up by leaning against his desk, his dagger dripping blue onto their floor and looking completely unsurprised at the freakin _robot_ standing in the center of the room and the one tearing through his cupboards.

"Ah. Prime's little toy." Honey and seduction poured from the Pretender as he took a few steps towards the human, cocking his head to the side. "Oh, look at you. Born in death and forged in battle. I've heard stories about you... about your combat and your..." his optics dropped to the bracelet on his wrist, thread and metal beads and clearly formed by a sparkling, "sentimentality."  
It was astonishing how much contempt the Pretender was able to put into a single word.  
"A perfect match for Prime."  
"Well, I like to think so."  
"My master is so eager to meet his brother's Chosen."  
"Sorry," Sam gave an apologetic smile and opened to box on the desk behind his back, "I do hate family reunions: I always seem to end up bleeding."

With a roar, the Pretender launched himself forward, screeching and whirling backwards and clawing at his face as the dust Sam threw into it burned away the protective plating. Sam ducked around him, hauling Leo to his feet and throwing the door open, only to be pulled back by his shirt and thrown against the wall. Leo stumbled into the crack between his bed and his wardrobe, watching Sam being lifted by a hand around his throat. He clawed at the metal fingers, toes scraping the floor as he did so.  
"I truly do wonder what you have to keep Prime interested...especially after his mess with Velocity...maybe I could have a taste..."  
The little robot tapped the Pretender's foot, flinching when he turned his crimson optics on him. "It's not here."  
"What."  
"I can't find it-"  
The robot made a choked noise as the Pretender kicked it, sending him smashing into the wall with a snarl of "_Pathetic disgrace."_

He was expecting his joke of a youngling to bow his head in shame.

What he was not expecting was for the human in his grasp to roar, eyes and tattoos flashing blue and for an impossibly strong electric surge to burst out of him and throw the Pretender against the wall. He shuttered his optics in surprise, launching himself at his youngling when it automatically started to crawl towards the glowing human.

He was thrown against the wall again in a flash of blue, and when he online his optics, he had to shutter them a few times at the sight of the blue shimmer that separated him from the humans and his youngling like a wall. Sam's palm was spread, fingers trembling when the Pretender threw itself at the wall and bounced back. The youngling gazed up at him with huge red optics as he clung to his leg, trembling like a leaf.

He attempted a smile, but knew it was failing as his vision started to darken and his legs grew weak. This wall of energy was draining him, leaching his strength out of his fingertips and forcing him to his knees. He gasped out a breath, and the wall flickered once, then twice, and then fell, leaving him shaking and suddenly freezing.

The Pretender laughed again, but it sounded like it was coming from underwater. He snarled something else, stalking towards the human who exhaustedly pushed his youngling behind him in a pathetic attempt to protect-

Pain exploded in his shoulder and he spun, barely having time to confirm that there were two humans standing there when the blonde male started firing his pistol. His face was set as he advanced on the Pretender who was being pushed back at the assault, barely having a second to straighten up when the blonde's clip ran out before it was reloaded and he was slammed back again. Energon splattered across the unflinching human's face as the other threw one of Prime's Chosen's arms across her shoulder and pulled him to his feet, his head lolling against her shoulder. The human cowering in the corner jumped at her snarl and did the same at his other side, flinching when his youngling scuttled up the other male's back and held on as they dragged him out the door.

Emergency warning's flashed in front of him as the blonde turned on his heel and sprinted after them.

* * *

**Ugh**  
**I know**  
**Next chap will be good, promise**

**(had to drop History and really not feeling good at the moment. Head's a mess) **


	3. My Darling, Who Knew?

Been a while, but i have a reason, and a good one.  
So here, double length chapter  
Please review!

(Oh god I'm sorry)

* * *

Will's paced back and forth, running his hands through his hair and distractedly noticing that he really needed a trim. The base outside was a flurry of activity, soldiers and Rangers running around as if their tails set on fire. One ran past the Captain, dressed in cameo and skidding to a stop when Will barked at him.  
"Where do you think you're going, solider?"  
The solider snapped into a salute, eyes unflinching and stance strong. "To rendezvous with Autobots, sir!"  
"Really, solider?"  
"Sir yes sir."  
Will stared him down for a moment, knowing several other sets of eyes were watching him and sighed with a tired smile. "Don't get caught, solider."  
Shadow winked at him, Galloway's scream of _'All rebel Elites are to remain on base at all times until they can properly be assessed!'_ echoing in the air between them.  
When he had ran off to help prep, Will leaned back against the wall, running a hand over his face as Galloway's meeting turned over in his head.

* * *

_"But who are you to judge what's best for us?"  
The weedy, grey haired man sneered up at Optimus and Will had to bite the inside of his cheek against the urge to snap something at him. Optimus maintained his calm expression, his bi-pedal mode still showing hints of strain from the battle of Beijing.  
He was _**supposed**_ to be resting right now, but apparently this meeting simply couldn't wait until he got to goddamn recharge. The other Autobots attending, who had stayed in alt-mode, 'bristled' at the blatant disrespect the man spat at the Prime. Hell, it made the Captain's hackles rise and he had to force a steady breath before he spoke._

_"With all due respect, we've been fighting side by side in the field for two years, Sir. They are our friends and allies and their word can be trusted."  
It's funny to think that two years ago, he wouldn't have caught the softening in Optimus's optics or the tiniest lift of his mouth plate. Friendship is funny like that- things you never would have seen when you first meet become things that you immediately notice are gone.  
"We've shed blood, sweat and precious metal together." Epps added, crossing his arms tightly and furrowing forehead. Silently, Jazz nudged the backs of his legs, softening the soldier's expression slightly.  
"Soldier, you're paid to shoot, not talk."  
"Don't tempt me." Epps muttered under his breath, tightening his lips but nodding when Optimus whispered "Easy."_

Will tuned out the rest of Galloway's complaining, only for his focus to snap back when he started leaking _**very damn important information.**__  
"-Electromagnetic vault-"  
Will's eyes snapped to Optimus's, both of them opening their mouths when-  
"Sir, it's not exactly safe to give out HP information over a wireless line."  
Galloway froze, then turned on his heel and all but stalked over to Miles. The blonde held his stance unflinchingly as the man got right up into his face and slowly smiled like a sadistic cheserie cat.  
"Blaze. It's been __**so**__ long...but where is your partner?"  
The room seemed to plunge into ice and those in it into statues. Miles continued to stare forward, unmoving until Galloway rocked back with a soft laugh. "Ah. I see. You two always were so loyal to each other...two little lost boys who grew up in blood and battle."  
He shook his head with another laugh and turned away, only to throw something over his shoulder which would make Miles's world shatter.  
"At least you are finally replying your debt to Lightning...the Gods only know how you sleep at night after knowing what you subjected him too."_

_"What."Miles took a step forward and for the first time since Mission City, Will saw pure, undiluted fear on his face. "What are you talking about?"  
"__**Miles**__" Shadow caught his arm and pulled him close, hissing into his ear. "Don't rise; all he has are twisted truths and fictional falsehoods."  
Miles shook him off, stepping closer to the liaison and demanding again, "What are you talking about?!"  
Galloway turned back with another twisted smile, eyes shockingly wide. "Surly, you had to know? That night you ran away and left you brother to rot?"  
"I nev-"  
"-He was in the middle of hotwiring a car out of HQ when he got a call...and he immediately jumped from the car and ran back inside...and then you came out minutes later and drove off all alone."  
"-He...he never." Shadow stepped forward, grasping Miles's arm as he swayed. Bumblebee inched forward on the ground below as Miles's face went whiter than a sheet. God, Will wanted to both sit the blonde down with something warm to drink, and fly to Philly and hug that damn kid and never let him go.  
Galloway only smirked again. "Of course not...Lightning always was too...loyal, for his own good." His eyes flicked up to Prime once more and spat the words at him, provoking him for some sort of a reaction. "You would have thought that message would have been beaten out of him by now."_

_Like he said, friendship changes things. To an outside, to Galloway, Prime didn't react. He didn't do anything more than raise an optic ridge and keep his stare level.  
To Will, Orion was __**furious**__. His optics tightened, his servos gave the tiniest spasm and his jaw hardened. The hum of his spark kicked up just a notch, spiking up from annoyed to the hum which he was pretty sure meant the same as Dijon's when it made that sound  
__**'You touched my promised you wouldn't even blink before I'd-'**_

_Galloway seemed to deflate at the lack of reaction, but riled himself up once more. The next words he said seemed to blow Will's eardrums out, causing a high ringing in his ears.  
"-leave, peacefully?"  
__**Leave?!  
**__Just for a second, he imagined waking up with no Dijon lying beside him and no Freeze holding his arms out for a hug. For just a second, he imagined trying to get up every day with half his family torn away.  
"If that is your will, we will honour it."  
Bile rose in his throat as he gripped his arms behind his back, the sting of nails breaking skin grounding him from reacting harshly._

_Galloway nodded, before striding from the room with his head high and smugness radiating out like an aura. Optimus head his stance until the official had climbed back into his helicopter before he transformed violently enough to make Will flinch. Orion's holoform appear in a flicker of light and twisted on his heel, walking out of the hanger with veiled fury and slamming the door behind him with an echoing crash. _

* * *

"Think he'll ever win her over?"

Will jerked out of the memory as Daniel bumped his shoulder and nodded over to Epps and Chromia. The blue haired solider was double checking the nearest jeep, playfully shouting over to the other solider, who cried out something about being 'stabbed in the back'. The captain could only laugh as he tucked his astrum pendant back under his shirt, shaking his head at the two's antics.  
"He already has, he just doesn't know it yet."  
"Captain!" Lennox snapped around, eyes hard as he took in the image of the panting solider. "We're ready, sir."  
"Alright." The captain cupped his hands around his mouth and called out "Wheels up!"  
The cry echoed across the base as he and Daniel sprinted towards the nearest helicopter.

* * *

Darkness.

He cannot see his hand in front of him; cannot taste nor smell. Sounds fly past him, snatches of a scream, of a promise, of a snarl and of a laugh. Voices hiss in his ear, mutters of _Guardians_ and _sacrifice_ and _cure_ and _until the stars stop turning, my love, and for an eternity after_.

He twists and turns as fear builds in his heart. Part of him recognises this darkness, and screams _oh gods not again_. He waits for what seems like an eternity, surrounded by cold and so alone.

Then, just as he thinks he is lost for good, the darkness shifts. Moulds. Forms one shape, then stretches and snaps into six. The six surround him, cradle him and whisper to him.

_"Wake up, little one. Wake up, our prophet. Time to begin again,"_

He pushes himself back as a forgotten memory cries _no_ and _not again_ and _please no more.  
_The shapes soothe him, comfort him and lull him into pacification. They gently remind him of what is at stake and he sobs that they are _so tired _and _done our duty_ and _no more._

_"Your last stand"_ they whisper, pressing their plea against him "_This is your last stand, little prophet."_

He's trapped and alone, and part of him knows that he must do this, must see this to the end. He agrees, and the memories start slamming into him, one after another after another after another.

He's felt fear before.

He's watched the lights in his mother's eyes go out, seen his cousin choke blood from her mouth, ran for hours because the stranger beside him looked just a little like his uncle and been helpless to protect his family from running straight into the fray.

Nothing compares to this.

It's one kind of fear to watch a war and be unable to do anything about the horror flashing in front of your eyes.

It's another entirely to see the same war repeated over and over, in new worlds and new cities and different children dying each time. It's not the sort of fear that leads you short of breath-it's the kind that sneaks into your mind at midnight, locking your muscles in place, tying your throat and sealing your eyes and forcing you to be a prisoner in your own body as your senses turn against you.

He knows what is to come; they've danced this waltz before. Blood and death and pain are their constant companions.

He could turn away from it, of course. He could watch what is to come and say '_Not this time_'. That happened once, when his incarnation was named Rasul and Hunter's was Cocidius. They had been _so tired_ and had watched their progenies _scream_ for them while they could only watch. They never really managed to wash their blood from their hands after they had cradled them.  
When the Darkness came, they had tangled their hands together and swore _no no not again we are done you cannot have us._

Their world burned with everyone in it. They still have not forgiven themselves.

Through weary eyes, he kneels and nods, pledging himself to the cause once more. They engulf him, whisper praises and thanks, and draw a twisting symbol in the hollow of his throat in their ichor.

"_Wake up, little prophet. You have a lot of work to do."_

* * *

Sam's eyes shot open. Miles's blurry form crouched over him, hand raised to slap him awake, eyes on fire and roaring something at him with soundless lips. Sam blinked at him, hand darting out to stop his brother's arm and sitting up, only to lurch to the side as his stomach rebelled at the sudden movement.

"...Easy...s'okay... " Miles gently rubbing his back, snippets of Greek and Latin soothing the student until he reached blindly for his brother. Miles hauled him to his feet and dragged him over to an abandoned car with Mikaela in the front, desperately trying to hotwire it and trying to calm someone on the other end of her phone. Leo twisted in the back, roaring hysterically about aliens and robots and the Real Effing Deal while the tiny youngling beside him cowered in his seat. When Miles bundled him into the front beside Mikaela, she gave a chocked sob of relief and all but tackled him, lurching back when the Pretender landed on the bonnet. Miles had just managed to throw himself into the back when the Decepticon cocked his head and snarled at Sam, punching through the glass and reaching out to grab his shirt-

Mikaela slammed down the accelerator, the car heaving forward and throwing the Pretender onto the ground. He had only stood up when Mikaela slammed into him again pushing him against the lamppost and sending energon spraying out of his mouth in a splatter of cyan. The youngling in the back screamed, burying into Miles's side as he tried to block the sight. Just for luck, Mikaela drove over the remains a few more times, wincing at the squeal of metal on metal before speeding off and pushing her phone into Sam's shaking hands..  
He stared at it for a second, the world a messy blur until a snippet of a voice suddenly snapped it into focus like a rubber band pulled too tight. Sound exploded in his ears and his vision sharpened, and his heart lurched at the sound of Orion's voice begging for information.

"Orion?"  
"_Sam?! Oh thank Primus I thought-"  
_"Orion, it's okay, I'm okay."_  
"I'm coming to get you. Right now, Darlin', I'm coming straight to get you."  
_"Okay-"

The seatbelt cut into Sam's chest as Mikaela braked with a screech to avoid slamming into the helicopter that had dropped to ground-level. The phone flew out of Sam's hand, slamming into the dashboard and sending the back and battery flying out.  
They barely had slammed back against their seats when, like a knife sliding through butter, a spike cut straight into the roof of the car and the top turned into what looked like an upside-down grappling hook. Leo let out a shriek and they barely had time to react, before the car started to lift off the ground. Over the sound of Leo's intensive screaming, Miles swore in the back, fumbling with his belt.  
"OUT OUT OUT GET OUT"  
Gods only know where they would be taken too. Sam snapped his belt off, pulling at the handle uselessly.

"KAELA?!"  
"SORRY CHILDLOCK!"

The girl slammed the buttons on her door, grinning and pulling off her belt when she heard the tell-tale _click!_. Sam grabbed the door handle again and just had it open, when a SUV appeared out of nowhere and slammed into Mikaela's side. The car jerked up spun freely, and Sam slipped out of it completely.

For a split second, he was weightless.

Then his fingers hooked around the edge of the bottom of the car door and clung like limpets, leaving him dangling at least twenty foot above the nearest building.

Mikaela screamed from where she was at and Miles launched himself into the front, bellowing at Kaela to grab his leg. He slid across the seat and hung down, the upper half of his body dipping towards Sam. He reached out, and only just managed to grab his brother's hand when the student slipped; forcing Mile's to take all his weight. With a pained roar, Miles slowly dragged the teen back into the car, Sam's foot catching in the door pocket and slamming it shut behind him.

The three of them sat like that in the front, clinging to each other and desperately trying to slow their hearts as they were carried right across the river and into the warehouse district. They moved slowly, until they hovered over a warehouse with a large glass roof for a few moments, just long enough for the trio to look at each other and whisper  
"_Fuck-"  
_And the car dropped like a stone in water. It smashed through the ceiling, the floor rushing up to meet them and like a child, Sam closed his eyes and dragged up the best memory he had. Across the lids of his eyes, he watched the memory of sitting in Orion's palm with Quickfire on his knee as they watched the Fourth of July fireworks exploded over the Indian Ocean play out, because if this was the last thing he was going to see, it wasn't going to be some grey floor it was going to be his family-

The nose of the car crumpled as it smashed into the floor and the airbags exploded, pushing the humans back into the seats violently. The car tipped forward and fell onto its roof, rocking slightly as it did so. Mikaela pushed away the bags to touch Sam's face, almost crying in relief when his head lolled towards her and he smiled despite the blood dripping down his forehead from a stray piece of glass. She knew she has the same across her cheeks and arm, but adrenalin allowed her to ignore the pain. After twisting around, she did let out a small sob of relief as Miles reached out to touch her fingers and the sparkling that he had held tightly chirped at her. Leo made a weak noise of terror, so him possibly dying was off her conscious.

They sat there for a second, before with a sick screech, the car was sawn perfectly in half and Starscream sneered down them. Miles launched himself out of the remains of the car and pointed his gun directly between Starscream's eyes. Just before he pulled the trigger, blue completely overtook Sam's vision and static screamed in his ears. Proteus let out a roar in a strange language-_Alliantian, Sam's mind helpfully and vaguely hysterically supplied_- and leapt up, throwing the blonde's arm out of the way so his last shot went wide. Just as quickly as it he had taken over, Proteus vanished and left Sam staring at his hands like they were foreign objects. He jerked his head up to meet Miles's and his stomach twisted when he seen devastated realisation, rather than shock in his eyes.  
Mikaela shakily got out of the car, the sparkling on her hip and flinched at the sound of metal sliding over metal. She twisted around, only to stumble back as the face that haunted her nightmares loomed up from behind her.  
Sam and Miles launched themselves forward to stand in front of Mikaela, ignoring Leo's soft whimpers of denial and fear behind them as they stared up at the metal devil who grinned down at them

* * *

Megatron's ruby eyes roved over the humans, stopping to stare at the teen who had burned him into nothingness. He let his gaze linger, taking in the twisting Cybertronian hidden in the swirls of ink on his skin, and disgust crawling through him at the sight of the astrum that peeked through the gap in his button shirt that gaped due to ripped buttons.  
"Come here, boy." Hate and menace dripped from his words, and yet the boy slowly moved towards him, shaking off the other humans' hands and barking something at the blonde insect who longed to follow him. Once more, despite himself, a tiny spark of respect flared in him at the insect's strong, unshaken stance.  
"You remember me, don't you?" he all but purred as the human slowly slipped down the stairs towards him.

The warlord slowly reached out, only to turn and glare when the other black-haired male squeaked out something about 'hurting him would be major bad mojo, he's got these _huge_ solider friends-'  
The other two humans cried out over the top of him, shaking their heads and the one that reeked of Energon didn't have a chance to defend himself before Megatron swatted at him, sending him twisting through the air, deaf to the other's screams and cracking against the cold concrete desk, back-first.

The red-haired human groaned chokingly and tried to scramble up, only for Megatron to pin his arms and legs with a soft chuckle. "I'm going to kill you, slowly, painfully." He promised, talon tracing a slow path down his decorated arm. "But first, we have some delicate work to do. Doctor?"  
"Motherfucker." The insect breathed out as the needle gun beside him turned into a small, spiky Decepticon. He winced as he crawled up his chest, tiny talons pinching him. The 'doctor'-AKA, Scalpel-chattered to himself, and suddenly reared one arm back and sliced along the faded trail of a scar that stretched down the human's face, reopening an old wound.

The blonde above flinched like it was him who had been hurt.

After examining the human, Scalpel called for his probe, forcing it down the down the gagging human's throat. He twisted and choked, heaving in panic-but not from this. When the warlord looked into the insect's eyes, they were glazed, almost as if he was not seeing him, but rather another memory that had been forced down for far too long. Eventually the probe made its way back out, leaving the human gagging and coughing and desperately trying to get a breath to call reassuringly back to the terrified humans who could only watch, helpless. Scalpel attached the probe to himself and with an excited chatter, shone the human's memories on the wall.

The symbols were clear, and the faces flashed were... blurred, indistinguishable. The doctor shook his head, slapping at the probe a few times in annoyance, but it made no difference. There were vague Cybertronianoid shapes, but it was impossible to tell who the human had been looking at. The reoccurring image of a small, humanoid shape and a taller one, and a tall Cybertronianoid shape were blurred the most, as if the human had done his best to hide whoever he had been looking at. Megatron hissed silently in fury, as though the symbols were what he was truly after; he had been desperate to see which pathetic Autobot had lowered itself to be with a human.  
"These symbols," he bit out, taught with annoyance, "can lead us to the Energon source." He dropped his gaze to the human, and every gear stopped, his energon froze and his spark ceased to pulse.  
Because the human had pushed himself up and was staring at the probe on the doctor's chest with unwavering concentration, and his eyes were glowing blue, as was the symbols which had once been mere ink.

_Oh._

"We must have the brain on the table!"  
"No." Scalpel threw the probe away and the human collapsed back, exhausted and panting and peering up with half-lidded eyes. "No..." Megatron purred, grinning viciously at the human. "We have our own little source right here...it's only a matter of tapping into it."  
He dragged a talon down his frail chest, smirking as the human tried to squirm away-

The ceiling caved in around him and the wall crumbled inward as two Autobots burst into the warehouse. Megatron barely had a second to see the yellow-_Oh I remember you_-Autobot distract Starscream and provide cover for the fleeing humans, before a servo wrapped around his throat and pulled him away from the human.

_Well, this is new. _

He had seen Prime angry before, but this? Fury blazed in his optics as he attacked without remorse, taking on both himself and Starscream without backup. The Prime was like another being entirely, Pit, he was attacking in styles that Megatron had never even _seen_ before, as if there was multiple Imprints stealing his frame. For the first time in _megavorns_, Prime was actually _attacking_, rather than defending.  
And as much as Megatron hated to admit it, he was _winning_.  
He fought like a mech possessed, twisting and firing and slashing in such a rapid combination that Megatron found himself flying out of the warehouse in a blur of glass and metal and only just heard the name _"__**SAM!"**_ crawl out of Prime's throat in a choked sound of panic before he was gone.

_...Oh. _

_Now __**that's**__ interesting._

* * *

"Please darlin', Primus, please open your eyes. C'mon darlin', don't do this to me. **_Please_** Sam! Darlin'-"

Sam snapped awake for what seemed like the hundredth time today, only this time he was immediately engulfed in warmth and apple and _home _as someone pressed frantic kisses to his forehead.  
"Or-Orion?"  
"I'm here, I'm here darlin'. Primus, don't, don't you **_ever_** scare me like that again."  
Sam blinked around, eyes focusing on Orion's face, specifically the blue that was smeared across his cheek and rumpled shirt.  
"Oh gods, you're hurt."  
"Hey, darlin', look at me. I'm fine, it's only a flesh wound. I'm okay, we're okay." Orion cupped Sam's cheeks gently, pressing a soft kiss against his lips before manoeuvring Sam into the driver's seat and vanishing. The seatbelt wrapped around him like an embrace and Sam shifted back into the seat with a whimper of pain.  
"Others?"  
"They're fine." Orion promised, speed increasing as he approached the forest outside the city. "They're with Bee. We're going to rendezvous with them and you're going to go with Bee and get to a safe-_FRAG!_"

Orion jerked as Megatron shot at him from behind, transforming around his precious cargo and cupping Sam in his hands protectively as Megatron tackled him. The Prime twisted, bringing his foot around to smash and momentarily daze Megatron and carefully deposit Sam onto the ground, and pulled a human pistol from subspace, dropping it into his human's hands.  
"_Hide!"_

Prime spun around and tackled his adversary, the two of them smashing against each other in a roar of metal and Energon. He skidded back onto his pedes and threw himself at the Decepticon once more, blocking his attacks and making sure his own caused as much damage as possible. Megatron, for a split-second, almost coward at the Prime's rage, before scrambling away with a cry of "_Decepticons!"_

Two Decepticons dropped from the sky and circled the Prime for a moment, before both attacking at once. Unlike them, however, he was not weighed down by the mass amounts of weaponry they had on them. The Prime was able to weave in-between the two, spinning and slashing at the two with his Energon Sword that glowed white-hot. The mech behind him pushed forward and was just about to get a clear shot, when two cracks snapped through the air and he let out a scream of pain, clawing at his optics.  
"_I can't see I can't-"  
_Optimus swung, and he stopped complaining. The Prime scanned the ground, and as much as he wanted to snarl at his Promised to hide, he smiled as Sam spun around from where he had shot the Con's optics out to start firing on the nearest Con, taking out his knees and then spark chamber with four shots. The human glanced up at him, then winked and spun around to start firing on the fourth con that wanted to try his hand. Orion flipped over his Promised and tackled the Con with a snarl, even as Ironhide and the Twins shot into range and let out warrior-like cries as the tackled the nearest Con. Just as Prime had dealt with his Con, he swore under his breath as Megatron's spark flared back onto his radar.  
"There is another source of Energon hidden on this planet...other than your human, of course. But he could still be...useful."

Megatron tackled him from the side, sending his flying through the air and crashing into the ground with a pained crash. With a groan, he stumbled to his pedes, only to be thrown through the air again with a well-placed shot from his once-brother (_But not again, not after this, Primus, not after he had touched Sam.)  
_ His audio went haywire, before snapping back into focus at the sound of his name being torn from his Promised's lips. After spitting out a mouthful of Energon, he took a controlled breath and Ironhide and Sunstreaker called across his commlink, promising that if he could last "_A few clicks, Prime, just a few and we'll be there"_. In the corner of his optic, he could see three other Cons prowling around him, like wild animals just waiting to attack.

"Is the future of our race not worth a single human life?  
Fury and love and rage and _mine_ burned in his spark at the thought of simply handing over the being who had brought light back into his world, and his Energon _boiled_.  
"You'll never stop at one." He hissed, servo tightening around the hilt of his sword, "...and you'll take him over my. _Offlined.__** Shell!**_"

Orion hurled himself to his pedes and let himself merge with the presence that had formed in the back of his processor. For the first time in eons, Hunter and his present incarnation merged as one, their only goal to protect their Sam-Proteus-Promised-Entwined. Their world became a blur of Energon and metal and snarls as they tore through the Cons, pride burning through them as they saw more than one Con fall at their Promised-Entwined's hand.

For a few shining moments, Promised and Prime and Incarnation and First worked as one. For a few breathtaking moments, Hunter and Proteus and Sam and Orion fought side-by-side.  
For a few eternal moments, two souls were once again moving in perfect harmony after years of searching.

Prime spun, sword raised to deal the final blow to Megatron when the mech dropped, and slowly, impossibly, raised violet optics.  
"Orion? B-Brother?"  
Orion jerked, freezing mid-swing. The mech in front of him remained kneeling, staring up with frozen optics, as if he was seeing a ghost. Agonisingly slowly, Orion lowered his arm, his own optics locked on his brother's.  
_"Maximus?"_  
He took a step forward, as if he couldn't believe his optics as his brother stared down at his servos in shock. "I don't...I'm in control." He looked up at his younger brother, and the first honest smile in megavorns started to build in the corners. "I'm in control, brother. Orion, Orion I'm in-"  
"**_Orion!"_**  
He swung around at the sound of Sam's scream, barely getting his arm up in time to block Starscream's blow. He swung at the mech, stepping back, as if to protect his Promised and brother.  
The brother whose servos were shaking uncontrollably. The mech shook his helm, clenching his servos in fists as the trembling danced up his arms. "No. No nononono please not again no."  
"Orion." The name slipped out of Sam's lips like a whisper as Maximus trembled, grabbing his helm with his servos before freezing for what felt like an endless moment, and standing up once more.

With bloody optics.

Megatron, in control once more, transformed his arm into his sword, and smirked. Starscream fell back; avoiding the Prime's swing and smirking over his shoulder at Megatron, who rotated his shoulder in preparation.

"**_ORION!"_**

He didn't have a chance to move before Megatron caught him by the shoulder and slammed his blade through his back, destroying his spark chamber in one blow.

The world stopped.

For a single moment, everything halted. No sound, not a breath of wind, not a heartbeat. The only thing that existed was the almost-surprised expression on Orion's face, the blade that jutted from his chest and the shocking shade of blue that covered his chest.

Then, with a sick noise, Megatron pulled his blade out in one smooth slide. Orion stood for a moment, staring, before he sank to his knees and crumbled onto his side, optics flickering and intaking choked with Energon as he tried to breathe.

The only sound in Sam's ears was his heartbeat.

_Th-thump_

Megatron said something before he and Starscream ran like the cowards they are. Sam heard nothing, felt nothing. White noise screamed in his head as he took a shaking step and then the paralysis snapped and he sprinted forward with a horrible cry ripping from his chest.

_Th-thump_

"Orion? Orion oh...oh Gods. Oh gods." Trembling hands touched his Promised's cheekplates. "Okay...Okay you're okay."

_Th-thump_

"It's okay." He nodded as dulling optics focused on him, lips forming a whisper of a name. "It's okay, it's okay, I'm here. You're going to be okay, I'm going to make you okay."  
Blue flared from his fingertips and danced along the broken frame, before dissipating into nothing. Sam shook his head robotically, and flared again.

_Th-thump_

Nothing.

_Th-thump_

"Ally. Ally, Ally help me. Help me."

_Th-thump_

A soft hand appeared at his shoulder, and somewhere in the tiniest back of his mind, he knew he should feel it. "I can't."

_Th-thumpTh-thumpTh-thumpTh-thump_

"Jazz-"  
"-Jazz wasn't a Prime, and his frame was in perfect condition. His spark is different, and you can't heal metal."

_Th-_

"No."

_Th-thump_

The human shook his head, soothingly tracing over the fading mech's Prime symbol. "No, he's okay. You hear me, sweetheart? You're okay. You're going to be just fine. We're going to get you fixed up, and we're going to go home. And-and me, you and Quickfire are just going to take a full month off and travel. Go right around the world there's...there's so much you haven't seen yet. P-pyramids and a colosseum and so so much more."

_Th-thump_

There was so much Energon on his hands and arms.

_Th-thump_

He was babbling, shaking his head and promising wonderful things even as Orion's optics faded further.

_Th-thump_

_"_You'll see. We're okay. Me and you, we're okay, sweetheart. Everything is okay."

_Th-thump_

"S-Sam"

_Th-thumpTh-thump_

"Shhh it's okay. I'm here, sweetheart. I'm here."

_Th-thump_

"So-sorry."

_Th-thumpTh-thumpTh-thump_

"Don't be silly, sweetheart. You're okay, everything is okay."

_Th-thump_

_"Dar-Darlin'."_

**_ Th-thumpTh-thumpTh-thumpTh-_**

"Yes, sweetheart?"

_Th-thump_

"L-love you."

**_Th-thumpTh-thumpTh-thumpTh-thumpTh-thump_**

"I love you too. I love you too, sweetheart. Gods Orion, I love you so so much please. Please, just keep looking at me, okay? You, you need to stay awake sweetheart, because I love you so so much."

_Th-thump Th-thump_

"...Sam"

_Th-_

_"_Orion?  
Orion, come on.  
Orion, please.  
Sweetheart?  
Please."

"-am?  
-Sam?"

The redhead slowly tore his eyes away from his Promised's optics to look up at his brother. The blonde's face was drawn in anguish as he stared at the fallen form of the being he had began to seen as an older brother. He dragged his eyes away to cup Sam's face very carefully, as if he was delicately spun glad that could shatter at any second.  
"He." His voice was odd. It was like he was standing at the end of a very long tunnel, and his voice was being mangled halfway through. "He needs Ratchet. I...I need you to go get Ratchet."  
"Sam." Mile very carefully tucked a strand of red behind his ear. "Sam, we need to go."  
"What? No...no we, we can't. Rat-Ratchet's not here yet." He shook his head, turning back to stare at his Promised. Miles slowly dragged his face back, now cupping his hands around Sam's eyes so he could only see him.  
"Sammy, we can't stay here. It's very dangerous, and Ori-" The name stuck and choked in Miles's throat for a moment before he let out a shuddering breath. "Orion wants you to come with us."  
"He does?" Sam tried to turn back, but Miles's careful hands stopped him.  
"Yeah, bro, he does. He really, really wants you to come with us, right now."  
"But-" he tried again to turn, and again was softly stopped. "But I- I can't go. I can't-I can't leave him alone, Miles." Something started to build in his throat, a twisted scream that was eventually going to claw its way out. "He-he can't be alone. I have to stay with him, he needs me here."  
"Orion really needs you to come with us."

In the distance, further down the tunnel, Sam can hear a girl screaming close to him. Miles turned sharply, letting go of the side of Sam's face which was away from Orion and grabbed her arm.

Mikaela.

Mikaela was sobbing.

Why

Why was Mikaela crying?  
Why was she looking at Orion and crying? He's fine. He's okay. Ratchet's going to fix him up and he's going to be okay.  
Mikaela ran back towards Bee, and Bee is making these horrible choking noises and what's going on is someone hurt?

Miles is mouthing something at him, but he breaks away, stumbling towards Orion, hands outstretched and he can hear himself call his Promised's name over and over and over and then Miles's hands clasp around his middle in what should have been a bear-hug.

The touch puts everything in razor-focus and oh gods why is he covered in Energon and Orion oh gods he covered in it and why isn't he answering him oh gods _nononononon  
"SAM! SAM, PLEASE!"  
__**"ORION! ORION NONONONO WAKE UP! WAKE UP SWEETHEART PLEASEPLEASEPLASE"**_ He's clawing and kicking and biting and he can't go he can't leave him here alone.  
"MIKAELA WHERE THE HELL IS IT?!"  
"_LET GO OF ME I HAVE TO STAY HE HE NEEDS ME __**ORION NO PLEASEPLEASE"  
**_Something sharp pierces his neck and he struggles away, but whatever it is, it has already began working.  
"I'm sorry, Sammy." Miles is pushing him into a car and he's sobbing and rocking him back and forth. He can still see out the window, can see Orion and he's still sluggishly struggling and biting and clawing and begging.  
"**_ORION! ORION, PLEASE! PLEASE! I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU ILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOUILOVEYOU-"_**

He sobs into Miles's shoulder, begging like a child "Pleasepleasplease let me go to him please Miles I need to be with I can't I can't make it stop it hurts Miles"  
"I'm so sorry, Sammy. I am so fucking sorry."  
He knows what's to come. He's seen it before, Elites who lost their Promised. There's always two outcomes. Insanity, like Jason. And he can't, he _can't_ become him.  
And the second?  
It comes out a strangled whisper, a confession he whimpers into his brother's ear, the only thing grounding him as his world has crumpled into ash.  
"Kill me."  
"I can't. He'd never forgive me."  
There's a strange noise ringing in his ears, a screaming that sounds like an animal that's being tortured, dying and someone needs to put it out of its misery.

Gods, his throat hurts.

"Shhhs Sammy, it's okay. It's okay."

_'It's okay'_

"It's okay", Sam repeats. Darkness is already starting to close in on him.

_'It's only a flesh wound'_

"It's only a flesh wound" There's a gaping hole in his chest, like his heart has been scooped away and nothing has ever hurt like this

_'I'm okay'_

_"_I'm okay."

_'We're okay'_

"We're okay." Nothing will ever be okay again.

The darkness swallows him, and he smiles and prays he'll see blue optics again.

* * *

I don't know what the hell is wrong with me I'm so sorry what even is this

long story short, I have started recovery. So I am going to be going to therapy and hopefully getting myself out of this hole I'm in  
So  
yey.

Please review!


	4. Hold On, Baby You're Losing It

**Nameless Lawyer 1: I think we took a wrong turn...FOUND IT!**

**Nameless Lawyer 2: You found the pool?!**

**Nameless Lawyer 1: Nope, found Star's next story!**

**Nameless Lawyer 2: Shit, I totally forgot about it...well, she's doesn't seem to have done _too_ much damage**

**Star: EVEN THOUGH I DO NOT OWN TRANSFORMERS EVERYTHING WILL HURT AND EVERYONE WILL SUFFER**

**Nameless Lawyer 1: Well...at least it's legal?**

* * *

The brown haired holo watched the young female femme kiss her bonded on the cheek as he left their dwelling, getting into his automobile and driving off. The femme smiled as she watched him leave, hand lightly resting on the tiny bump that held their human sparkling. He got out of his alt mode and walked up to the door, catching it before the femme closed it behind her. She spun, eyes going wide in shock.  
"Oh, I am so sorry, I didn't see you-"  
"Do you recognise this male?"  
He held up a picture and she squinted at it for a moment, then her face bleached like she had seen a ghost.

Confirmation.

He grabbed her by the arm and dragged her from the dwelling, ignoring her screams, and threw her to the ground in front of his alt.  
(The original owner of this form let out a strangled scream at treating a blessed Carrier as such, but he squashed it down as usual.)

The insect cowered there, begging but going silent when he let his holo fade and he transformed into bipedal mode.  
He must admit, the flash of recognition in her eyes did surprise him.  
Her terrified scream which ripped through the air when he scooped her up, did not.

* * *

"SAM!"  
"Insect"  
"I'm sorry"  
"Love you"  
"_**ORION**_!"

The ground he lay on was cold and the jacket under his head wasn't his. Every cell of his body ached like they had been stretched for hours upon end, and his arms were stiff and sticky with a dried liquid he refused to name. Not far in front of him, he knew a small fire burned, and his dagger was slowly cutting into his leg.

A small, hysterical part of him wanted to laugh. A few years ago, he had used that same dagger to break himself out of the aching numb that would shroud him. Now, the only reason he knew it was digging into him was due to the slow trickle of blood that was weaving down his leg. No amount of pain would break him out of this fog. Other than the overall ache, he just felt...empty. Like half of him and been stolen in the middle of the night, like his senses had been snatched away and he had been thrown into an unfamiliar world.

"I can't talk right now." Mikaela whispered into the phone, her voice tired with past tears. "I can't talk, dad. Goodbye."  
"Your dad still wants you to go back to Tranquility?"  
Underneath the fog, guilt bubbled and festered like an infected wound. Bumblebee was hoarse and defeated and devastated and 'it's my fault _my fault __**myfault'  
**_"Yeah. It's been three months, and he still hasn't given it up. I mean, I love him but...I have a family now. I have kids."

_'Oh gods how was he going to tell Quickfire that Generator's not coming home?'_

A choked noise crawled out of his throat and suddenly Mikaela was running her hands up and down his arm and whispering to him, brushing his hair from his face and rocking him back and forth.  
He wanted to break and sob. He wanted to scream to the gods that looked down on them and demand they bring him _back_. He wanted to drink and drink until the image of him crashing to his knees was gone in a swirl of vodka. Jesus, he just wanted to close his eyes and never open them again, but he didn't even have the strength to do that. He was wrung out and cold and he had nothing left to give.

Like a puppet he let Mikaela sit him up and wrap her arms around him, rest his head on her shoulder and stroke his hair. He slowly started to scratch the dried blue off his arms as he stared into the fire, and silently allowed her to tell him beautiful lies like 'It's okay', 'Everything will be alright' and 'You'll be okay'.

_Gods, he hates that word_

* * *

Hours later, Miles slipped back into the courtyard with supplies tucked under his arm and fresh clothes in his backpack. He threw a few more pieces of scrap wood onto the fire, pausing to tightly smile down at the two mechling holoforms curled up in front of the fire like puppies. Even now, even though they were brothers only by choice, he could see traces of Bee in their sleeping positions with their knees tucked into their chests and arms hugging said knees. Skids and Mudflap were only the equivalent of five years behind himself, but it seemed like decades-the 'thirteen-year-olds' had been kept far behind Autobot lines and so had not yet gained the weariness in their optics and heaviness in their shoulders.

He shook his head as he made his way over to the blonde perched on the hood of the Camaro and staring at his little brothers with sightless eyes. After dropping the supplies on the ground, Miles placed his hands on his shoulders and drew the blonde into his embrace, who released a shuddering sob as he tucked his head into Miles's neck.

"How you doing, sunshine?"

Bee made a small, broken noise and shook his head. "Hurts. Primus Miles, it hurts."

The other blonde nodded, reaching up to run his fingers through his hair and exhaled shakily. "I know, Bee. I know."

Gods, it was agony for _him_ to see Orion fall. He could barely imagine what it must be like for his Chosen to have been unable to help, and Christ, he didn't even want to think how Sam was coping. He slowly rocked Bee from side to side, and let his Promised silently sob his regrets into his neck and feeling completely helpless in his inability to comfort him.

After a few minutes, a twig behind him snapped and he twisted and _oh Jesus Christ Sammy_. The broken shadow moved silently out of Mikaela's restraining arms and looked straight past his brother, unfeeling to the livid red scratches that sliced down his arm and bled slowly, eyes locked with Bee's. His lips trembled before he swallowed and shook his head, pulling in a gasping breath.

"Bee...Bee I'm, I'm sorry."

Bumblebee stiffened in Miles's arm before he made a choked noise, as if he had only just seen the redhead.  
"Oh, _Sam._"  
He pulled himself out of his Chosen's embrace and slid off his bonnet, stumbling over to Sam and reaching out as if to embrace him. Sam flinched, his eyes going wide when Bee hugged him tightly, as if... As if he was expecting to be struck. Miles' stomach suddenly dropped as lead filled it and he already had a denial on his lips when Sam struggled out of Bumblebee's hold. In one swift motion, the redhead dropped to his knees and pushed his dagger into Bee's hold, pulling the blade flush with his own neck.

Bumblebee let out a strangled noise of denial and tried to pull his arm back, but Sam held firm, eyes devoid of anything other than guilt.

"Orion Pax" burst of agony exploded in the human's eyes before they were again buried under the choking guilt, "Orion Pax's falling was directly linked to my actions. As his brother, it is your right to seek retribution. But you must know" Sam shook his head, buried agony crawling to the surface and all but drowning him."...I didn't mean-Bee, I never meant for-"  
His voice cracked and his hand trembled enough to scrape the fragile skin of his neck, causing beads of crimson to appear.

Bee shook his head, tears springing to his eyes as he sank to his knees and placed his unoccupied hand on Sam's other cheek, his thumb gently wiping away the blood sluggishly weeping from the cut there. Miles and Mikaela shared a look, and silently slipped back to give the two mourners some privacy.

"Sam, this was not your fault-"

"Bee...Bee it was _it was __**I killed him**_-!" Hysteria crept into to human's voice, even as Bee firmly shook his head.

"Primus no, Sam! Never, this wasn't-!"

"-If I hadn't been there he wouldn't have had to rescue my fucking ass! I was so selfish-"

"Bullshit!" Bee jerked back, grabbing Sam by his shoulder and shaking him, ever mindful of the dagger. The blonde's spark broke at the guilt and agony on his bond-brother's face. "Complete bullshit! Primus Sam..."  
The holo dropped his voice, tucking a strand of hair behind the human's ear and smiled sadly at him, "You saved him."

Sam shook his head with more apologies on his lips, only to be stopped by Bee gently placing a finger on them. Despite the pain in his eyes, no blame lay in them and his smile was soft. "I've known my brother for a long time. And without a doubt, you were the best thing to ever happen to him. No!" The holo cut over Sam's muffled protest with a sad laugh, "No, Sam! You have no idea what it was like to walk past you two and hear him laughing. To see him _smiling!"_  
Bee shook his head again, eyes faraway as he recalled the joy that had erupted in his chest at the sight of his brother throwing his head back, his entire body shaking with mirth.

"My brother was more alive in the last two years than he had been since the War began, and that was all because of you. You came into his life like a firework-breaking walls we thought impenetrable and bringing bursts of colour where we thought was only darkness. You did not put the blade in his back-you brought him back to us, if even it was for a short time.  
He loved and will continue to love you more than the moons and stars in the sky. And it would tear his spark if he could hear you blame yourself for something that never was, and never will be your fault."

Bumblebee gave another sad little laugh and carefully pulled Sam's dagger away from his neck, the corner of his mouth turning up when he met little resistance. "You will always hold his spark in the palm of your hand, and you'll always be the brightest star in his sky."

A broken laugh managed to sneak past Sam's lips as his shoulders slumped, and he all but fell into Bee's waiting arms. His bond-brother caught him easily, pressing a kiss into Sam's bloody hair when the human whispered, quiet and exhausted but with _so_ much love,

"He is mine."

* * *

Miles crept over to the figures slumped against Bumblebee's bonnet. Sometime during the night, his chosen had fallen asleep and Sam had rearranged him. Now, Bee's head lay in Sam's lap and the human slowly smoothed his hair, eyes shadowed by his fringe.

"Did you get _any _sleep?"

Sam's silence spoke for him. Miles shook his head, scratching the back of his neck and dropping to his knees when the other human let out an infuriated hiss and pressed the heel of his hand against his forehead.

"_Brother?" A_utomatically, he slipped back into Greek without a second thought as he grasped his brother's shoulder. Sam shook his head before he replied in kind.

_"Symbols...symbols that make no sense."_

"_You can't read them?"_ Disbelief coloured Miles's voice, forehead furrowed.

"_No...I can but...it doesn't make __**sense**__!" _Sam hissed as he slipping his hand into his pocket-with the bottom ripped out-and pulled his dagger out of his thigh holster. He quickly carved a string of symbols into the ground, symbols Miles recognised as cybertronian, but not the one Miles was used to seeing on the bots and their work. These seemed more...regal, almost. Regal and ancient, and the only symbol that Miles knew that looked even _close_ to these was-

_'Oh. No wonder Orion was so freaked out after we sent him a picture of what Sam had drawn.'_

Judging by the look on Sam's face, he had already recognised what symbol looked so similar to the ones he had drawn. His face was drawn with exhausted agony, rather than fresh shock and, distractedly, a finger traced out the glyph for a Prime. In an effort to distract him, Miles nudged him with a forced smile.

_"What does it say?"_

"In English, preferably." Mikaela and Bee chimed in, both of them sitting up and wiping dust from their eyes. Bee's eyes widened as he stared at the symbols, gazing back at Sam in disbelief.

"That's the Language of Old...The Language of the Primes."

"Yeah...wait. You-you _don't_ understand it?" The look on Bee's face confirmed that thought. "But, with Ally-?"

"Orion he-" Bumblebee's voice cracked and he cleared his throat before continuing. "He taught me some set phrases. The Pledge of Allegiance and stuff."

Sam nodded, swallowing before he read out was being said. "When dawn alights the dagger's tip, three kings will reveal the doorway."

"...What the fuck does that mean?"

'Ah, Miles. Delicate as always.'

Sam snorted, throwing his dagger into the air and catching it with practiced skill. "Dammed if I know."

"Maybe-" Mikaela was interrupted as Leo stumbled out of the corner he had isolated himself to, waving his cell phone above his head.

"Sam! Sam you gotta see this-!"

In a sharp action, Miles slid into Sam's spot as the other human sprang up and grabbed Leo's phone, his world narrowing to just the phone screen.

"-If you resist us, we will destroy the world as you know it."

Vaguely, he could hear Leo in the background, shouting about 'CIA!' and 'Pictures!' and take the phone out of his numb fingers. Part of him knew he should react, do something.  
But those eyes filled his vision, filled his mind. Scattered memories of a man with a pale and unforgiving face, of hands around his throat and a white hot brand burned into his shoulder swallowed him.  
He heard rather than felt the crack across his cheek as Mikaela slapped him, but it served its purpose. He sucked in an aching breath, as if it was his first gasp of air after drowning.

"Sam? Sam are you-"

"Abaddon."

The fire whipped as if a sharp breeze had brushed across the camp. When he met Mikaela's eyes, for a split second, Proteus stared back at Theodosia, both their faces drawn and terrified.  
"Abaddon has returned."

* * *

_Proteus kept his head bowed, hood of his cloak shadowing his face as he stood on the second step of the alter. As the king's soon-consort, he was considered equal to the king's highest advisor-who stood at the same level on the other side of the alter- and second only to the king himself. Each step after and opposite him held the other advisors, placed in order of their rank._

_The Royal Council had been summoned into the great hall, a room with an impossible high ceiling and made entirely out of black marble. Cloth banners draped from the ceiling to the floor, and black chandeliers and flamed torches gave light. Other than that, the room was entirely empty, though a huge slab of marble which served as a table would rise out of the floor at the king's command._

_The king himself lounged on his throne made of pure aganeth-a white gem that shone like the stars themselves had been pulled from the sky and enclosed in the gem-which was the only colour in the room, other than the kings platinum hair. The gem burned even brighter in comparison to the king's black cloak, draped like a waterfall of night, which hid the armour which was coloured with the blood of his enemies. Though the royal's body was relaxed and he held an expression of boredom, his crimson eyes burned with a smug fire that sent a shiver down Proteus's spine._

_They waited in silence for what felt like hours and only practice stopped Proteus from flinching when the doors finally burst open. Two guards entered, dragging a man with matted black hair behind them. More guards followed, weapons already out and ready to strike as they stared down at the figure hatefully. The guards twisted their prisoner around, forcing him to his knees. With his hands tied behind his back and the guard's grip on his hair, he was forced to stare at the ground while his hair covered his face like a curtain. Abaddon rose from his throne, viper-smile on his lips as he threw his head back and laughed, a mocking sound that echoed around the hall._

_"Well isn't this delightful..." He hissed, tongue that should be forked swiping across his teeth. "On your knees like a dog, aren't you?"_

_The man made no reply, but he was practically vibrating with fury. Abaddon seemed to take his lack of answer as agreement and he laughed again, shoulder-length blonde hair burning like a beacon. Suddenly, he gestured to Proteus, a finger beckoning him. Swallowing his disgust, he climbed the last step and allowed Abaddon to wrap an arm around his waist and pull him into his side. Tilting his head up Abaddon pressed a kiss against unresponsive lips, then turned to sneer down at the kneeling man._

_"Pitiful sight isn't he, my love? Nothing more than a pathetic dog, my dear Proteus."_

_The man's head snapped up and Proteus wrenched himself from Abaddon's side, sprinting down from the alter with a pained gasp. Deaf to his king's livid roar, he dropped to his knees and cupped the man's face in his hand, the other brushing his hair out of the way._

_"Oh Hunter, what have they done to you?"_

_It came out like a broken sob as his fingertips ghosted over the prince's face, which was a mess of scratches and bruises. Blood matted his hair and dried in rivers from his forehead, but despite it, Hunter's eyes were soft and devoted._

_"Proteus..." It was breathed like a prayer and he tilted his head forward to rest it against his love's, tension already bleeding from his body. Proteus pressed a soft kiss against Hunter's cracked lips, only to cry out as a hand buried itself in his hair and dragged him back._

_Hunter roared in fury and tried to get to his feet, only to be hit in the back of the head with the grip of a sword hard enough to send him crashing down again._  
_Proteus felt himself being dragged up the steps and thrown into the throne, dragging another agonized cry from him. Hunter roared again, struggling against his guards helplessly. Abaddon's face loomed into his vision, burning in fury._

_"This is how you repay me?!" The king roared, stamping down on his wrist hard enough to snap the bone. "I found you wandering the streets, orphaned! I took you in, fed you and clothed you! I draped you in jewels and gave you a position that others would kill their young for, and in payment you lay with our enemy's heir?!"_

_Abaddon grabbed him by his broken wrist and dragged him up, wrenching another scream from Proteus. Swinging him around, he forced him to his knees, facing Hunter. The prince was snarling at the king, promising retribution with wild eyes. Abaddon wrapped one hand around Proteus neck and used the other to pull his cloak off and drag the collar of his forest green shirt down. He grasped his shoulder, nails biting into the fragile skin, and spat something in müllgoreth, the language of serpents and night.  
A scream ripped itself from Proteus's lips as his shoulder burned, like a branding iron had been placed against it. Minutes lasted hours, until Abaddon threw him to the side with a snarl of "Whore!"_

_The king was not expecting what happened next._

_Proteus rolled, sliding into a crouch like a tiger about to spring and threw his hands towards Abaddon. In a flash of blue, he flew back, head over heels until he cracked into the wall opposite. The Royal Council sprang forward, only to be frozen mid-step when the redhead waved his hand at them. The guards who ran at him found themselves in a similar position, unable to move as Proteus stalked towards Abaddon like a panther. The king only had a second to muse at how the man looked more regal in this moment than he ever had draped in jewels, before Proteus flicked his wrist and he was dragged to his feet._

_"Orphaned? No, __**uncle**__." The word was spat, dripping with disgust. "I was __**stolen**__. You took me from my home, from my parents. I am no orphan! I am Proteus Chaikin, son of Tancred, under the protection of King Cynesige. And I am no __**whore!**__" He snarled, sapphire eyes glowing as the air around him crackled with energy "I am entwined to Hunter Alantia, heir to the Shining City of Alantia. He claimed me long before you ever had a chance! And I am going __**home**__!"_

_With that, he turned on his heel and all but glided back to Hunter. The prince raised an eyebrow, even as his eyes shone with pride._

_"You've been practicing."_

_Proteus shrugged with a bashful smile as he leaned forward to press a kiss against the mark of royalty on Hunter's cheek._

_"Had to do something while you were away. Now," Proteus wrapped his arms around Hunter, buried his face in his neck and opened his side of their link. He felt his Entwined do likewise, pressing a kiss against his soft skin. "Close your eyes." Proteus whispered, even as warm blue energy wrapped around them like a cocoon. "And think of home."_

_Hunter gently nudged the memory of playing hide and seek in the dinning hall together through their now open link. Despite the exhaustion that was already creeping in, Proteus smiled at the sight of his child version giggling as the younger Hunter pretend not to see him._

_"Home."_

_In a flash, they were gone._

* * *

"I failed him." Dijon's first words after he had all but destroyed the training room came out hoarsely, like he had been gargling glass. He hadn't reacted when he stumbled onto the scene that would haunt his nightmares-his best friend, gone, covered in energon while his Chosen screamed-hadn't done anything other than gave orders in that horrible, detached voice. His optics had remained blank when he stepped off the plane and Chromia had threw herself into his arms with a sob. His jaw had remained set when Quickfire beat her little fists against his leg to told him to bring her generator back.

But in the privacy of their room, sitting on their bed and leaning into his Chosen, he allowed his tears to fall.

Will ran his fingers through Dijon's hair as the holo hid his face in his stomach. The tear tracks had already dried on his face, and sorrow had left him with a bone deep exhaustion. The holo gave another shudder, his grip on Will's waist tightening just slightly, before he let go. The human smiled sadly down at him, bending down to press a kiss at the corner of a blue-rimmed eye.

"Di-"

"I was charged with protecting him. I promised _Max_ I would protect him. And I _**failed**_."

Will shook his head, pressing another kiss against his lover's hair. "You couldn't have-"

"I should have been faster-!"

"_Dijon!_" The human shook his head, exhaling shakily. "_Don't_ do this. This isn't what he'd want."

Dijon was saved from answering when their room door opened and Epps stood there, fists clenched. He opened his mouth a few times, before running a hand over his face, displaying bloody knuckles. Seemed Dijon wasn't the only one who reacted violently to sorrow.

Finally, Epps spoke, voice like gravel. "He'll be home in five minutes."

Will shut his eyes, suddenly completely unprepared to see them drop the broken shell of his..(Friend? No, it didn't seem enough, he was more than that.)... brother.

Dijon nodded, swallowing harshly before rising with his mask back in place.

* * *

"_Athena_, bless me!" Sam grabbed the phone that was being waved in front of his face and yanked the back off. Twisting, he threw it at one side of the courtyard, pulled the battery out and threw it in the other direction. Muttering a curse, he dropped the phone to the ground and stamped on it, grinding it under his heel.

"See that? They can track us with that! GPS...Dammit Leo, you cry about government cover ups all damn day but you don't think to check that?!"

"Look man, I didn't ask for this-!"

_**"BUT YOU DID!"**_ Sam roar echoed around the courtyard, eyes catching fire and symbols burning."You wanted the 'Real Deal', Leo?! Well wake up, cause you're in the middle of it! This is the 'Real Deal'! It's not trolling YouTube videos-It's death and blood and fighting every goddamn second to try and get home to you family! You want to run? Go ahead! No one's stopping you!"

He whipped around and stormed back to Bee's alt, leaning against the door heavily. Distractedly, he noted Leo shouting something else and the twins snarking something back at him, but ignored it. He stared at his trembling hands, clenching them into fists and trying desperately to will away the energy. Blood roared in his ears as images flashed in front of him, of energon and blood and screams-

_'Take a breath for me, darlin''_

_'You're not real.' _Sam answered back, eyes screwed shut as if it could block out the voice that never failed to make his heart sing.

_'C'mom darlin', breathe for me.'_

_'Please stop.' _Sam held back a sob as a warm weight seem to wrap around him, chasing away the ice around his heart. '_Dead dead dead.' _His chest was tight, lungs screaming

_'Darlin', **please**. I love you.'_

With a gasp, Sam took a breath, blinking away tears_._

_'It's alright darlin'. You're alright.'_

_'You're not here. You're dead. But I love you.'_

_'I love you so much.' _There was the lightest touch of warmth on his forehead, like a kiss, and then it was gone. Cold slammed into the human again and he wrapped his arms around himself, unable to stop the breath of a sob that slipped out.

Even the delusion of Orion was gone.

Two smaller forms crashed into him, breaking him out of the aching emptiness that choked him. Skids and Mudflap looked up at him, hugging him tightly around the waist and looking achingly young.

"Orion said we give the best hugs and always make him feel better. Dijon called him a sap though."

Sam forced himself to laugh quietly, leaning down to press a kiss against their hair. "He was right."

"Which one?"

"Both of them; I feel much better and your brother was the biggest sap I've ever met."

Though they all flinched at the past tense, Sam faked another smile at them, ruffling their hair.

A throat cleared to their right and the human rolled his eyes to the heavens before turning, Skids and Mudflap still glued to his side and glaring at the human who had upset their brother's Chosen.

"I had a bit of a mild panic attack earlier, right?"

"That's 'cause you're a pussy." Skids muttered under his breath, grudgingly apologising when Bee called out to him and Sam tapped his head with a warning look.

"I think I'm allowed that, considering what I've been through."

**_"'What you've been through'?!_**" Only Bee's restraining arms stopped Miles from jumping forward and _throttling_ the little _brat_.

"I heard you have a problem. I think I know someone who can help."

Sam's eyebrow rose, staring a Leo incredulously. "**_Who_**?" He didn't bother trying to hide his disbelief.

"Robo-Warrior."

The redhead let out a pained groan even as Bumblebee and the other two humans chorused the name, voices dripping with scepticism.

* * *

**Hi! I am back!**

**I'm actually kinda proud of this chapter...what did you guys think?**

**CLOUDED HAS BEEN UPDATED I REPEAT SHIFTINGWINGS125 HAS UPDATED HER SAM/PRIME FIC AND IF YOU HAVE NOT READ IT GO READ IT NOW!**

**And (If you celebrate it) how was your Christmas? I hope yours was nice! Mine was pretty good :3**

**AND HAPPY NEW YEAR! My New Year's revolution is to take over all of Ireland and pronounce myself queen, and Prime/Sam canon.**

**My New Year's _resolution_ is to update more often so hopefully that will work! As well as other stuff, of course!**

**Also, competition time! If you can tell me what song this chapter's title belongs to and its artist I will promo your fic! So if you guess correctly, I'll message you and you can tell me what fic you want mentioned in the A/N in the next chap! First person to guess gets the promo, and it can be any fandom or on any site! If you get the promo, you are disqualified from the competition for five chapters!**

**So, I hope you enjoyed! Leave me a line please! :D**


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